Shoe,especially shoe for aiding children in learning to walk



March 11, 1970 R. o. EPSTEIN 3,500,561

SHOE, ESPECIALLY SHOE FOR AIDING CHILDREN IN LEARNING TO WALK Filed Oct. 19, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor: 74/0210 6. 4; 8/, 1

March 17, 1970 R. o. EPSTEIN 3,500,561

SHOE, ESPECIALLY SHOE FOR AIDING CHILDREN IN LEARNING TO WALK 3 Sheefs-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 19. 1967 lnvenfor: 74 a ifs/e1 VIIIIIIIIIA March 17, 1970 R. o. EPSTEIN 3,500,561

SHOE. ESPECIALLY SHOE FOR AIDING CHILDREN IN LEARNING T0 WALK Filed Oct. 19, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent US. Cl. 362.5 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shoe, especially a shoe for aiding children in learning to walk, and is characterized in that it is free from lasting margin at the front and at the rear. More specifically, the shoe according to the invention is characterized in that the upper has lateral lasting margin only, the ends of which rest in a cap and a counter while the bottom surface of said cap and said counter together with the bottom side of said lasting margin and the inner sole resting in said cap and said counter form a substantially plane surface to which the outer sole is connected.

The present invention relates to a shoe, especially for teaching children to -walk, with an upper, the side wedge portions or lasting margin of which are connected between an inner sole and a walking or outer sole.

With heretofore known shoes there exists the drawback that the upper over the entire length of its lower edge, also in the front and in the rear has to be provided with a wedge fold or lasting margin for connecting the inner sole engaging the inside of said lasting margin. Even though the provision of this fold can easily be effected in conformity with modern manufacturing methods, the subsequent mounting of the outer sole to the outside of said lasting margin and of the inner sole is difficult because the lasting margin in its curved area is upset in the front and in the rear of the upper and therefore is uneven.

With a known shoe for teaching chlidren to walk as it is disclosed in German Patent No. 974,462, the inner sole and the outer sole are in the rear area of the upper, i.e. on the heel pulled upwardly in the form of a small strip while the upper which is cut out at its rear in conformity with the shape of this strip,.is by means of seams connected to the thus formed two edges on both sides of said strip. The sides of the upper therefore extend approximately perpendicularly on the strip extending upwardly on the heel portion or counter so that the free inner cross section of the shoe within the area of the counter seen in sections parallel to the sole is approximately rectangular. Therefore, within this area the shoe is not adapted to the natural contour of the heel so that the heel within the shoe has too much air or play and consequently is not properly guided in the shoe so that the heel when walking, so to speak, floats in the shoe because also a lateral guiding of the heel by the sides of the upper is not effected. Aside from manufacturing drawbacks, which are due to the cutting out of the upper at the rear end and to the thus formed rearwardly directed upper tongues which have to be sewn, this shoe also has the drawbacks that the foot is not properly supported with the result that pressure areas may be formed due to the rear strip which directly represents the rear confinement of the space for receiving the foot.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a shoe, especially a shoe for teaching children to walk, which does not have the above mentioned drawbacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shoe of the above mentioned type which while affording a ice simple manufacture, will assure a nature-true support and guide for the foot on all sides, especially within the area of the heel and more particularly within the area of the heel sides.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a shoe, as set forth in the preceding paragraph, which will make it possible that also the inner sole of the shoe will contribute to the resting and the support of the foot, and with its trough-shaped design in conformity with the natural form of the heel, will form a smooth transgression to the substantially vertical side portions of the upper.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates an exploded view of a shoe according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view partially in section of a shoe according to FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 represents a section along the line IIIIII of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of the rear portion of the shoe according to FIG. 2, without the outer sole.

FIGURES 5 to 7 perspectively illustrate different manufacturing stages of the shoe.

The shoe according to the present invention, especially a shoe for teaching children to walk, which is provided with an upper the lateral welts of which are connected between the inner sole and the outer sole, is characterized primarily in that a counter heel form piece (Fersenformstiick) is provided which encases the upper inserted in the inner sole at its rear and its sides as well as its bottom in the form of a bucket seat. The inner surface of said counter form piece is curved in sections parallel to the sole in conformity with the natural curvature of the heel while the bottom side of said counter form piece forms a plane contact surface suitable for connecting the outer sole. The bucket shaped counter form piece which may have its inner side provided for instance with a selfgluing layer, may during the fabrication of the shoe be mounted on the upper in the manner of a plug so that the inner sole and the upper are by means of said plug held in their respective position relative to each other and it is merely necessary to connect the outer sole to the thus premounted unit. The counter form piece forms at three sides thereof, namely also in the lateral heel range, a bucket seat for the heel and supports the same also laterally in a safe manner. Advantageously, the heel section of the inner sole is formed trough-shaped in a manner known per se While according to a further feature of the invention the counter form piece with its inner side forms the continuation of the upwardly extending edge of the heel portion of the inner sole. As a result thereof, between counter form piece and that portion of the upper which is connected to the inner side thereof on one hand and the heel trough of the inner sole on the other hand there is created a continuous smooth engaging surface for the heel which surface in the shape of a'trough extends at the bottom side and toward the rear and laterally in the manner of a bucket seat so that the entire heel area of the inner surface of the shoe corresponds to the natural contour of the heel and engages the same in a supporting manner with its entire surface According to a further development of the present invention, the bottom side of the counter form piece has a recess which corresponds to the arch of the inner sole and furnishes the plane connecting surface for the outer sole. Therefore, advantageously the lower portion of the counter form piece is of different th ckness so that a trough shape is obtained, or the lower portion of the counter form piece is provided with a recess open to the edge. At any rate, on one hand a plane contact surface is formed for the outer sole and on the other hand a safe support will be assured for the heel portion of the inner sole, especially within the marginal area, said heel portion being pressed upwardly in the form of a trough. A good placing and mounting of upper and inner sole in the counter form piece are obtained when, when viewing in side view, the counter form piece is approximately of right-angled triangle shape, whereas the rear side, when viewed from the rear, has trapezoidal shape. As a result thereof, the connecting area of the inner sole on the upper will over a sufliciently long section be surrounded by the counter form piece. Furthermore, it will be realized that the heel resting on the inner sole is particularly at the bottom supported directly laterally and therefore can laterally not slip out. Nevertheless, the necessary rolling movements of the heel during the walking within certain limits will not be impeded by the counter form piece. The limited yieldability of the counter form piece can be held at the optimum by the fact that the wall thickness of the approximately right-angled triangle-shaped lateral portions of the counter form piece increases from the edge of the hypotenuse to the short sides of the right-angled triangle. In this way it will be possible without difliculti s to connect the thinner marginal area of the counter form piece, which area is located on the outside of the upper, by means of a seam to the upper without said seam causing an undue thickness or pressure areas.

The counter form piece obtains a desired great form stability and also offers additional protection of the heel against mechanical stresses, especially shock stresses, when the outer surfaces of the lateral parts and of the rear part of the counter form piece merge with each other over the entire height at an angle, preferably approximately at a right angle. This is due to the fact that while retaining the round inner surface of the counter form piece, especially within the area of the outer corners, the material :ross sections are increased. The lateral parts may have a. height less than the rear part of the counter form piece.

An advantageous further development of the invention isobtained when a cap form piece is provided which en- :ases the front upper portion with inserted inner sole laterally and from below in the manner of a bucket. Advantageously, also in this instance the bottom side of the :ap form piece forms a suitable plane connecting surface for connecting the walking sole.

The design according to the invention of the shoe makes it possible that upper and inner sole can be held against each other during the manufacturing process merely with two plug portions, namely with the counter form piece according to the invention and with the cap form piece. in addition thereto, the cap form piece likewise forms an additional protection against shock for the shoe. This applies particularly when the cap form piece also encases :he upper side of the front side of the upper. In order to form also atthe front within the range of the shoe tip 1 plane connecting surface for the outer sole, the cap form piece may be recessed at its bottom side in conformity with the arch of the inner sole.

. The invention makes it possible that the lasting margin )f the upper be decreased within the range of the heel form piece and/ or the cap form piece. Accordingly, only nvo lateral lasting margins are provided on the upper. These lateral lasting margins of the upper can be folded without difficulty while in view of the elimination of lasting, margins within the heel and tip, the folding of these :urved lasting margins and the cutting thereof will be :liminated and furthermore no further processing for forming a smooth surface is necessary. The lateral lasting nargins of the upper can thus extend into the counter Form piece and the cap form piece and thus are held by he'same with regard to the inner sole.

A method of making the above described shoe accordng to which the inner sole is connected with lateral lastng margin of the upper after insertion of a last into the lpper, is, according to the present invention, characterzed in h t p or to this connectio the counter form piece and/or the cap form piece is or are mounted and that thereupon the outer sole is fastened to the surface thus formed by the inner sole, the form piece and the lasting margins.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and FIGS. 1 to 4 thereof in particular, these figures show a shoe according to the invention which consists primarily of an upper 1 with lasting margins 2 provided at the lower marginal area of the upper on both sides. The shoe, furthermore, comprises an inner sole 3 with an arched foot support 4. Finally, the shoe comprises the outer sole 5 and a heel 6.

The inner sole 3 engages from the inside the folded lasting margins 2 of the upper and is connected thereto, for instance, by gluing. Within the heel area 7, the marginal area 8 of the inner sole 3 is formed upwardly in the manner of a trough, while said marginal area merges smoothly over its entire extension with the lateral walls 9 and the rear side 10 of the upper. The same applies to the front end 11 of the inner sole 3 which front end is likewise formed upwardly at its marginal area.

As will also be seen from the drawing, a bucket-seat shaped counter form piece 12 is connected to the upper 1. The rear portion 13, side portions 14, and bottom portion 15 of said piece 12 embrace the upper at the rear side 10, the sides 9 and the inner sole'3 within the range of the bottom side so that the inner sole 3 and the upper 1 are held against each other by the counter form piece 12 mounted in the manner of a plug. These holding functions of the counter form piece 12 are further improved by the fact that the lower portion 15 and the rear portion 13 of the counter form piece form an angle with each other which is less than The lateral parts 14 of the counter form piece 12 have approximately the form of a right angled triangle in which the hypotenuse 16 of each side portion 14 are curved twice so as to have an S-shape and ends below the upperedge 17 of the rear portion 13 of the counter form piece 12. The lateral portions 14 of the counter form piece 12 increase from the hypotenuse edges 16 to the short side edges or to the rear portion 13 and to the lower portion 15, whereas the rear portion 13 increases in thickness from its upper edge 17 in downward direction.

The inner surface 18 of the lower portion 15 of the counter form piece 12 is so recessed that it supports the trough-shaped heel end 7 of the inner sole 3 over the entire surface. To this end, the two lateral marginal areas 19 of the lower portion 15 are reinforced in such a way that the lower surface 20 of the lower portion 15 of the counter form piece 12 with the lower surface 21 of the innersole 3 and the lower surfaces 22 of the welts 2 form a smooth and approximately plane contact surface for the outer sole 5. The outer surfaces 23 and 20 of the rear portion 13 and the lower portion 15 of the counter form piece 12 merge with each other along a sharp edge.

The inner surface of the counter form piece 12 is in addition to the area 18 of the lower portion 15 curved also-within the range 24 of the rear portion 13 and the side portion 14 in conformity with the natural contour of the heel so that the upper 1 in this area is curved in conformity with this contour, and is supported by the counter form piece 12. The upper side walls 9 are in a manner not shown in the drawing connected to each other at the rear side 10 of the upper by means of a seam or the like.

As will be evident from FIG. 4, the outer surfaces of the lateral parts 14 and the rear parts 13 of the counter form piece 12 are approximately at a right angle to each other, while these parts merge with each other substantially at a sharp angle and while the rear portion 13 decreases in width in upward direction in'approximately trapezoidal form.

The lateral lasting margins of the upper 1 end within the range of the counter form piece 12 in such a way that the rear curved portion of the upper edge is not folded. The lateral lasting margins 2, however, extend with a relatively small end flap 25 below the lower portion of the counter form piece 12 so that they are held by said lower portion 15.

As will also be evident from the drawing, the front end of the upper is provided with a cap piece 26, whose lower portion 27 side portions 28, and upper portion 29 embrace the upper cap 30 as well as the front ends of the lateral lasting margins 2, and the inner sole 3 so that the upper 1, and the inner sole 3 are likewise held together by the plug-like cap form piece 26. The lateral lasting margins 2 likewise end ahead of the greatest curvature of the upper cap 30 and slightly extend in the cap form piece 26. The lower portion 27 of the cap-shaped member 26 together with the lower side 21 of the inner sole 3 and the lateral lasting margins 2 of upper 1 form a smooth approximately plane contact or connecting surface for the sole 5. In view of the cap form piece 26, an inner cap pocket forming alining is not required in contrast to heretofore known shoes.

The shoe according to the invention is particularly simple to manufacture. As shown in FIG. 6, the counter form piece 12 and the cap form piece 26 are placed upon and connected to the upper 1 so that the lateral lasting margins 2 of the upper are held in their folded position. Thereupon, a last 31, according to FIG. 5 against the bottom side of which is placed the inner sole 3 with the foot support 4 connected thereto, is in conformity with FIG. 7 introduced into the upper 1 in such a way that the inner sole 3 engages the lower portions of the counter form piece 12 and of cap form piece 26 as well as the lateral lasting margins 2 and has merely to be connected thereto, for instance, by gluing. Thereupon, the outer sole 5 can be connected.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means limited to the particular arrangement shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications Within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A shoe, especially a shoe for aiding children in learning to walk, which comprises: an upper having side portions with lasting margins and also having a front portion and a rear portion, an inner sole arranged above and connected to said lasting margins, a counter of form stiffened bucket seat shape receiving the rear end of said lasting margins and the rear end of said inner sole, the inner surface of said counter when viewed in planes approximately parallel to the outer sole having a curved contour corresponding to the natural curvature of a human heel, the sides and bottom of said counter extending forward a distance suflicient to support laterally and vertically substantially all of the heel of the wearer, the bottom surface of said counter being approximately an even and level plane, and an outer sole connected to said lasting margins and said approximately plane bottom surface of said counter.

2. A shoe, especially for aiding children in learning to walk, which comprises: an upper having lateral lasting margins only, a cap placed over the front end of said upper and having a bottom portion, a stiff counter having a bottom portion and side portions receiving the rear of said upper and the adjacent side portions of said upper receiving the rear of said upper and over adjacent side portions of said upper, said bottom portion extending forward a distance sufficient to support substantially all of the heel of the wearer, an inner sole resting on said bottom portion and being connected thereto, and an outer sole connected to said inner sole and said bottom portion and said lasting margins, the inner side of said counter along planes approximately parallel to the outer sole corresponding approximately to the natural curvature of the human heel.

3. A shoe according to claim 2, in which that portion of the inner sole which is located inside said stiff counter is trough-shaped, and in which the inner surface of the upwardly extending portion of said stilf counter forms the continuation of the upwardly directed portion of said trough-shaped portion of said inner sole.

4. A shoe according to claim 3, in which the inside of the bottom portion of said stiff counter is contoured complementary in conformity with the adjacent bottom surface of the inner sole while the bottom surface of said counter approximately merges evenly with the bottom surface of said inner sole.

5. A shoe according to claim 2, in which the side portions of said counter when viewed from the side portions approximately have the shape of a right angled triangle, whereas the rear of said counter when viewed from the rear is of approximately trapezoidal shape, the wall thickness of each of said side portions increasing from the hypotenuse of said right angled triangle progressively toward the two shorter sides thereof.

6. A shoe according to claim 2, in which the said side portions of said counter stiff in bucket seat shape meet the rear portion thereof at an angle of nearly said side portions having a height slightly less than the said rear portion.

7. A shoe according to claim 2, in which said cap has an approximately plane bottom surface flatly engaging and being connected to said outer sole, the inner surface of the bottom portion of said cap being contoured in conformity with the adjacent inner sole portion and being connected thereto.

8. A shoe according to claim 2, in which the lasting margins only slightly extend into said cap and said counter.

9. A shoe according to claim 2, in which at least one of the two members forming said cap and said counter is of stiffened molded synthetic material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,244,504 6/ 1941 Riddell 3668 3,333,353 8/1967 Garcia 3669 X 2,385,743 9/1945 Valsey 362'.5 2,435,051 1/ 1948 Osborne 12142 2,471,696 5/1949 IVIilchen 12-142 3,075,305 1/ 1963 Shapiro et al 36--2.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,185,523 7/1959 France.

6,586 9/ 1952 Germany. 1,901,970 8/ 1964 Germany.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 3 669 

